The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-02-02

! i1cnt from whom he desires more Pre-
c;se information. This would be par.
t:cy,larly the case with the Nohpcr-ed,
Douleh, who is at once Minister of Com
l3erce and Minister of Mines and Iele-
graphs, IN whom the Shah reposes some
confidence. The Sani-ed-Doulch, or
Minister of Public Printing, is also a
i&nctnary who is often closeted with the
Shah, as he is a public censor and homi-
rai editor OF the official journals. 1t is
SAID nothing goes into these periodicals
without first passing under the eye OF
the Shah. But as they appear only
monthly, and cover but four pages IN
large type, the task Of editing is more
apparent than real.
The Sani-ed-Douleh also assists the
Shtl. IL editing his journals OF travels.
,;96 p~eparjr:s them for the press. The
most recent work OF this description IS
the account OF the Shah excursion to
Nesched in 1882, in which the loyal
author gives some Of his own conclusions
concerning the antiquities along the
route he followed. The work is Illus
,trslted with lithographic illustrations
made from photographs. These works,
as well as the Official gaZettes, are print
ed by lithography. This may seem a
somewhat laborious and unnecessary
process al the present age; for the cast.
ing Of Arabic characters, which the
Persians use, has been often done, and
several volumes have been printed in
India IN the Persian language from
metal types. But the Persians, with
their exquisite aesthetic feeling, cannot
become habituated to type printing, as
it is less soft. flowing and flexible than
the written character Hence the prefer
ence for lithography, which approx
p1ately gives them the delicate touches
of the callgraphic art. \ skillful scribe
writes out each page as it is to appear in
the printed copy. This is photographed
on stone with prepared surface.
As one may readily suppose, the facts
in these official periodicals ere often in
inverse ratio to the horid language and
superfuity of high sounding titles and
phrases, very Ike Falstaf''s penryworth
OF bread to an intolerable deal of sack
The correspondence from the provinces
is annually summed up in some such
phrase as this, for example: "The good
people OF Tabreez are in usual health,
praise be to God, and are saying their
prayers with pious regularity"
But the Shah's government also en-
ploys the columns OF the official journals
to suggest its relations with the powers,
and test the quality of their influence at
the court OF Persia. Sometimes it has
had occasion to regret its termerity. IN
article once appeared which, alluding to
the position Of one OF the rival European
powers in Asia, spoke slightingiy of that
power, and especially Of the decay Of its
influence in the East. The ignorance OF
Or;entals regarding foreigners would
cause such paper, emanating from
official sources, to produce a most in
furious effect II that quarter, and the
editor of the official journal WAS there
fore constrained to publish a retraction
in the subsequent issue of the Gazette,
which ludicrously contradicted the state
ments previously J made.
During my last winter in Persia en-
article appeared in the same periodical
giving biographical account OF the then
President-elect Cleveland, with his por
trait. This article was inspired 10y an
European paper, and consequently con-
tanned several items which were either
false OF SO expressed as to convey al
impression qualified to iniuriously affect
our prestige among such people as the
Perslans, and I was soon informed that
such was indeed the result.
It has always been my opinion that
United States representative abroad
should uphold the honor and credit of
his country and eountrymen no less than
their commercial interests, which are
thereby assisted. Therefore, although
fully aware that probably one Of the first
official acts of the new administration
would be to call on me to give up the
legation I had ;pst established in that
far-away coup y, | did not allow this
TACT to affect my conj.Ict in what [ con-
sidered to be my duty IN this case. l
immediately and respectfully represented
the facts to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, who promised full satisfaction.
The delay which followed caused me to
urge the matter again, feeling that posi-
bly, there was some concealed intention
in the publication of the offensive article,
suggested perhaps by one of the lega-
nons opposed to American influence IN
Persia, but without any intention on his
3Iajesty's part to prejudice our interests
IN that country.
After waiting q reasonable time with
out receiving any communications on
the subject either from the foreign Office
or the editor of the official gazette, and
dispatch being essential in such case, l
requested an audience Of his majesty
himself, and seized that occasion to
allude among other matters to the char
acter of the official article on the Presi-
dent-elect of the United States. The
Shah was pleased to express very friend.
ly feeling, and commanded the Minister
OF Foreign Affairs, who was present, to
carry out my wishes regarding the mat
ter. ] did not rest satisfied with this,
bat very shortly called again on the
Minister OF Foreign Affairs and urged an
immediate retracuon of the offensive
article. The result OF my persistence
was finally made evident by a request Of
the Minister OF Printing Tor me to pre-
pare u paper for the next issue Of his
Journal The proof Of this was sent as
evidence Of good faith, and the results
on our influence, it need hardly be said.
were obvious aud beneficial.
Execution by Proxy III China.
There is one almost incredible thing